As with any country, if you are considering where to live, it helps to have an idea of what natural hazards pose a risk to your new lifestyle. Here is a quick summary. EARTHQUAKE New Zealand is known as "The shaky isles" and is located on the Pacific "ring of fire". Major fault lines run the length of the country, and small localised faults may also cause damaging quakes. In the North Island, the high-risk zone includes Wellington, Wairarapa and the entire East Coast (Hawkes bay and Gisborne). Northland and Auckland are comparitively low-risk and the rest of the island is moderate risk. Bay of Plenty and the Central plateau have also been noted for having swarms of small earthquakes in...

New Plymouth has a small zoo in Pukekura Park, which is well worth the visit. I has an endangered red panda, oriental small-clawed otters, ring-tailed lemurs, tamarin monkeys, and a free-flight aviary.

We can make quite a few sweeping generalisations about New Zealand houses: 1) A high proportion (by world standards) of New Zealanders own, or are buying, their own homes rather than renting accommodation. However, the pre-recession property boom put owning a house further beyond the reach of many people. 2) The majority of housing consists of detached houses on freehold sections. Inner-city apartment blocks are a relatively new phenomenon, with most being built in the 1990s. 3) New Zealand houses tend to be cold compared to those in Europe or America. Insulation did not become mandatory until 25 years ago (and then at a fairly low rating), and double glazing was a rarity, although it is now a requirement in colder...

Seeing New Plymouth from the air is amazing! http://www.airnewplymouth.co.nz/

PAEN Communications Ltd is the best place to translate your documents (http://www.paen.net/). Registered with the New Zealand Immigration Service (NZIS), New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) PAEN can translate official certificates as well as all your multilingual business documentation needs.

Nylon tracksuits and a busload of other tourists not your thing? If you want to try REAL travel that broadens the mind and the heart, check out Intrepid Travel. They have offices in Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane and London and also sell their tours through travel agents. This is a tour company with a difference, from their commitment to being carbon neutral by 2010 to their sponsorship of community development projects. They are taking the steps the travel industry urgently needs to in these more enlightened times! If you're interested in small group tours that get you off the beaten track and really experiencing life in interesting countries - this is the way to go. http://www.intrepidtravel.com/

If you don't have a German bakery around where you live why don't you try Dovedale bread instead! It is very similar to typical German wholemeal- and sourdough bread. They only use organic ingredients and no added yeast. The bread is dairy free and there are no emulsifiers (preservatives) added to it. The producers use a process of vacuum packaging and gas flushing. This way the loaf remains fresher far longer than with regular packaging. Plus all their Breads are risen with the traditional technique of leaven, just like in Germany. I must admit though it is not quite as good as a fresh loaf of bread from the German bakery in Auckland (see relating article on goGunter). It is a...